Despite rain, Clemson fans turn out for football team sendoff

Clemson players, coaches and staff left Friday to travel to the national championship game in California.
Josh Morgan and Mollie Simon, The Greenville News

Clemson fans wait in the rain to see the football team buses drive past Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday.(Photo: SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff)

On Friday afternoon, Clemson fans lined Jervey Meadows by the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex to cheer on the Tigers.

As the team buses departed for the airport in Greenville, en route to the National Championship in Santa Clara, fans weathered the rain to show their support.

The Thompson family left Columbia at 9 a.m. to drive to Clemson.

"We are lifelong fans, and we can't go all the way to California, so we figure this is as close as we can get," said Corey Thompson.

Alumni Ruthie and Bear Asche and Pat Dolan drove down from Maryland to spend the National Championship weekend in Clemson and to attend the watch party downtown.

Ruthie said it gave her goosebumps to see the team buses go by.

"That was the winning team," Bear said.

Dolan also watched the 2017 and 2016 games from Clemson.

"I was here the last time and the time before so I have to be here this time," she said.

The departure brought out fans of all ages. As the crowd waited on the buses, Jennifer Dunham was working on teaching her daughter Audrey the cadence count.

Audrey is Jennifer and Ray Dunham's "championship trophy baby"—she was born in October 2017.

CLOSE

Despite the rain, fans came to line the street for the buses.
Mollie R. Simon, Independent Mail

Both Dunham parents have been fans of Clemson "since birth," but this was their first time watching the team depart.

Beth Kunkel also came out to cheer. Kunkel spent 30 years as a food science professor at Clemson. The Arkansas native usually spends game days helping park cars at the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, which sells spots as a fundraiser.

While volunteering, she sometimes gets to see the team buses as they come down Highway 93, but this was her first time going to watch them head out of town.

For Dave Carney, a 1986 alumnus who recently moved from Raleigh to Seneca, the bus departure was just a pre-game show.

Saturday morning, he flies from Greenville to Charlotte and then on to San Francisco to head to the championship. He also went to the 2017 title game with his sons.

"It's good for the team to see people out supporting them," Carney said.

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Clemson fans wait in the rain to see the football team buses drive past Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff

Clemson fans wait in the rain to see the football team buses drive past Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff

Clemson fans wait in the rain to see the football team buses drive past Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff

Shelley St. Onge, from Seneca, protects herself and her sign from the rain while waiting to see the football team buses drive past Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff

Clemson fans wait in the rain to see the football team buses drive past Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff

Buses carrying the Clemson Tigers drive through the gates of the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff

Clemson fans wait in the rain to see the football team buses Marisa Shook, of Clemson, waves to the football team buses Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff

Clemson fans watch the football team buses drive past Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff

Clemson fans cheer in the rain as the football team buses drive past Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff

Marisa and Danny Shook, of Clemson, wave to the football team buses Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff

Clemson fans wait in the rain to see the football team buses drive past Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff

Clemson fans wait in the rain to see the football team buses drive past Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff

Clemson fans wait in the rain to see the football team buses drive past Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff

Clemson fans wait in the rain to see the football team buses drive past Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Clemson Tigers are heading to Santa Clara, Calif. to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. SABRINA SCHAEFFER/Staff